The present invention relates to components for firefighting devices and, more particularly, to molded components or accessories that are attached to firefighting devices, such as nozzles, monitors, fire hoses, gated wyes, or the like.
Firefighting nozzles, both handline and master stream device nozzles, generally have a molded rubber, elastomer or polymer bumper attached to the exterior of the nozzle exit. As nozzles tend to be made of either aluminum or brass, both comparatively soft materials and subject to impact damage, the bumper serves to protect the end of the nozzles from incidental damage. Nozzle bumpers are generally available in a variety of colors to assist with color coding of water delivery streams. For example, the controls, fire truck outlet, hose, and nozzle for a given discharge are often made from matching colors for easy identification during fire ground operations.
During fire ground operations, specifically during interior fire attack and suppression, visibility is nearly non-existent. Interior areas affected by fire will almost certainly be without electrical power because one of the first activities of a fire department responding to a call is to disconnect electrical power from the structure. Smoke and soot create a black cloud that fully encompasses a room or rooms. It is expected that during interior operations, firefighters will struggle to see their hands in front of their faces.
Lights and reflective tape/labels on clothing and equipment provide some assistance in creating visual reference during interior operations. However, reflective tape/labels require the presence of a light—one additional item that a fire fighter must carry into an unknown and dangerous area. Because interior attack can be extremely dangerous, firefighters are taught never to separate from their hose line or their partners. Your partner is your assistance—and your hose line is your return path to get out of the structure. However, in an event such as a partial collapse of the structure, it is possible that fire fighters can become temporarily separated from each other and their equipment.